Research Article:

Yahya k. Atemimi

Civil Engineering Departmnt, College of engineering University of Babylon.

Khitam Abdulhussein Saeed
Environmental Engineering Department,College of Engineering Al- Mustansiriyah University

Email address:  eng.yahya.kadum@uobabylon.edu.iq

ABSTRACT

The Kaolinite soil is considered as a problematic soil due to its low
strength with high water content, low density and low permeability. So, there
are attempts to improve the engineering properties of this type of soil by
mixing it with different additives. In this study the Date seeds powder was
used in two forms, first: as a powder (DSP) and mixed with the Kaolin soil at
different percentages by weight (3%, 5%, 7% and 10%), and second, the
powder was burned at 450OC for 4 hours in furnace (DSPB) then mixed with
Kaolin soil at different percentages by weight (3%, 5%, 7%, and 10%). The
results show an increase of 755% in the strength of the Kaolinite soils at 5%
DSPB as compared to the origin strength when testing in unconfined
compressive strength test UCS. Also, the results show a decrease in plasticity
index for all mixture percentages in DSPB by 26.2% using 10%DSPB. Curing
time results show high percent of increase in strength from 170 to 310 kN/m2
for 0 to 28 days respectively, this increase equal to 1386% from strength of
reference soil.

Keywords:Soil improvement, Kaolinite clay, UCS, Date Seed Powder, curing time

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